1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for tuning musical instruments and, more particularly, is concerned with a precision tuning tool for tuning a musical drum.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tunable drums are used by percussionists playing in a wide array of musical bodies, ranging from orchestras to bands and from combos to drum and bugle corps. Such drums employ a plurality of tunable square-headed lugs peripherally spaced about the drum head. In tuning the drum, the objective is to adjust the lugs so that they apply a uniform level of force about the periphery of the drum head. The currently accepted method of tuning a drum is to employ a drum "key" to manually tighten the drum lugs. This method is not only time-consuming but must rely solely on the skill and training of the person doing the tuning to sense when the same amount of torque has been applied to each lug. However, all but the most highly skilled persons are incapable of achieving the above-described objective whereby the level of tuning which results will still be imprecise and lacking in uniformity.
Such tuning imprecision and lack of uniformity has deleterious effects on the performance life of the drum. The lack of uniformity means that the loosest lug will vibrate loose after a relatively short period of time, changing the pitch and altering the sweet spot of the drum playing surface. The lack of uniformity creates weak spots in the playing surface which often result in damage to the drum head and necessitates frequent replacement. Also, the drum head is subjected to increased levels of wear and of percussive strike stresses which tend to shorten the performance life of the drum.
Consequently, a need exists for a precision tuning tool which will eliminate the deleterious effects of the prior art method of tuning a drum.